Please Forgive Me
by gluegirl56
Summary: Set during S1E6-S1E7. Basically a few missing scenes between Nicolás and Eva and then some in the aftermath of Nicolás getting shot by the captain. Nicolás/Eva shipping. *Extended 20191215
1. Captain's Quarters

**Alta Mar/High Seas**

Please Forgive Me

_*Just a few missing scenes set during S1E6-(S1E7) and some flashbacks to earlier episodes. Some lines are from the actual episodes so if you don't like spoilers, please don't read. There is also a faint reference to something that happens in season two. _

**Chapter One **

_Captain's Quarters_

Eva couldn't help but to wonder what took him so long. Nicolás was only going to talk to the captain. Obviously it was a longer conversation and, by all means, it made sense. Especially if you considered that it was the captain who'd shot Nicolás in the first place. Eva sighed, her mind kept wandering back to that wedding photo in Nicolás' drawer. She was fuming with him, disappointed and frustrated at the same time. How could he lie about such a thing?

He was a handsome man, she should have guessed he was already spoken for but it was too late now. She'd developed feelings for him and he was not exactly subtle when it came to flirting with her.

There was no wedding band on his finger. She didn't understand why he'd taken it off or why the photo had been hidden under his clothes. She'd grown accustomed to having him around, she found it refreshing and funny, it sparked something in her that had been lying dormant for years. He was special in a way she couldn't really explain. Then there was the fact that he'd saved her from the burning cabin without a second thought about risking his own life in the process. Recently the roles had been reversed, he'd been the one in need of medical attention and she had ended up saving him.

Her feelings toward him were conflicted, she was torn between hope and despair, anger and worry. While she wanted to slap him across the face for deceiving her she also wanted to make sure he was feeling all right after everything he'd been through. She cast a worried glance at the closed door to the captain's quarters. Nicolás shouldn't even be standing, he'd been shot and his abdomen had been pierced by bullet the night before.

Eva almost forgot to breathe as the door opened slowly, Nicolás gripping the doorknob so hard his knuckles turned white. It looked like he kept it in such a vicelike grip only to keep himself from keeling over. Her dark thoughts and disappointment temporarily forgotten she quickly made her way over and tried to support him.

"Here," she said softly as she gently draped his arm around her small frame. "Lean on me, Nicolás."

He didn't protest, in fact he said nothing at all, just hitched on a breath.

"It's not that far to your cabin from here," she encouraged. "Just a few more steps, then we're at the door. Do you need to stop and rest?"

"No," he whispered through clenched teeth. "I'll be all right."

Eva twisted the doorknob and let them into the first officer's cabin, both of them ignoring the disarray after the storm.

She grimaced as his weight was becoming too much for her but said nothing. After a few steps across the large room they ended up at the foot end of his bed. She pushed on and gently guided him up to the bedside.

He grimaced and gingerly sat down, gasping for air. He pressed his hand to the wound and gazed in amazement as the starkly white shirt was soaked with blood; his blood.

"Nicolás," Eva cautioned in alarm as she sat down next to him.

Their eyes met for a moment; his surprised and hers full of concern.

"Please lie down," she said as she stood and gently grabbed hold of his ankles to aid him. "I'll call for Doctor Rojas."

He closed his eyes in agony the moment his head hit the pillow, his face etched with pain. "No, Eva," he managed in a subdued voice.

"Don't be silly, Nicolás," she admonished. "You're bleeding. What if-,"

Shaking hands reached for the buttons of the shirt and she quickly unbuttoned them for him so they both could get a better look.

"Thanks," he managed sincerely, pain-clouded hazel eyes searching hers.

Eva never saw him look at her as her eyes were drawn to the soaked bandage covering the gunshot wound on his left side. "It needs to be redressed," she deduced, pursing her lips into a thin line of displeasure as she reached out to gently touch it. "I'll do that for you. I'll just need to go down to the infirmary and fetch a few things."

He took a shallow breath and cursed himself for being so weak. The room was spinning and it wasn't due to the light roll of the ship at sea. Exhausted he never noticed her leave the cabin nor did he hear her come back. He awoke to pain as petite hands prodded the fresh wound.

"I am sorry, Nicolás," she said softly, her tone apologetic. "I have to do this."

She was gentle and swift as she cleaned the wound and redressed it. Her smile was forced yet reassuring as she helped him into a sitting position so that she could finish the bandaging. He managed a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes as she began to wrap a fresh gauze around his torso.

"Almost done," she encouraged. "You're doing fine."

He huffed at that and let out a grimace as she tightened the wrap and tied it down.

"Now you're as good as new," she managed. "Here, I'll help you lie back down again."

He let himself be guided back into a flat position, snapped his eyes shut and sighed. Nicolás was blissfully unaware of the mixture of dejection and concern that flickered across Eva's beautiful face.

"Go to sleep, Nicolás," she said softly. "I'll see you later."

He nodded faintly but never opened his eyes. The lines of pain lingered on his pale face and a thin sheen of perspiration began to cover his upper lip and forehead.

Eva stood in the room, hesitant to leave him alone, remembering Doctor Rojas words of caution earlier. Nicolás was developing a fever or wasn't he? She resisted the urge to go back and sit down next to him and gently remove the strand of unruly brown hair that seemed plastered to his cheek. He wasn't hers to have anymore, he had another woman somewhere, waiting for him. Eva sighed as tears stung in her eyes. She desperately wished she'd never seen the photo.

OOOOOO

_To be continued _


	2. The Moment of Truth

**Chapter Two **

_The Moment of Truth_

Nicolás Vázquez, First Officer of the _Barbara de Braganza_ awoke to the sound of rapid knocking on his cabin door.

"_Captain!"_ A voice called from outside the room. _"Captain, you have to come."_

Groggy and still disoriented he made to get up and gasped as pain erupted like a raging fire down his injured side. He cursed as he remembered he'd been shot.

"What is it?" he managed through gritted teeth as he gingerly and very slowly made it into a sitting position.

The door opened to reveal a sailor. The young man hesitated for a moment, his eyes drawn to the bandage. "I am sorry, sir, but the dead woman has been found – alive – onboard the ship," he explained.

Nicolás blinked in surprise, wondering if he'd heard the man correctly as he put on a crisp white shirt and reached for a tie. He'd never taken off his pants and shoes.

"Doctor Rojas tried to strangle her. He'd probably succeeded too had it not been for Miss Villanueva who smacked him over the head with a chair," the sailor added.

Nicolás smirked at that. He had no doubt it had been Eva. She would not hesitate to do such a thing.

"Where is the doctor now?" he asked curiously.

"He has been taken to the brig. Mr. Fábregas orders, sir."

Nicolás reached for his black uniform jacket and shrugged into it, buttoned it up and corrected his tie. "And the woman?" he questioned.

"She has been taken to Mr. Fábregas office together with the Villanueva sisters. They are waiting for you there," The sailor reported and carefully added, "So is Varela, captain."

Nicolás swallowed at the mention of his new rank. He wasn't ready for this; wasn't ready for the responsibility his captain and mentor had brought upon his shoulders, it seemed to suffocate him. However, he couldn't let the old man down. The captain had trusted Nicolás with the ship and his duties. There was no way he would repay him by being a disappointment. He grunted as he took a step toward the door to follow the sailor. Ironically it seemed like he had no choice but to see the doctor but not for the reasons he had been trying to avoid earlier. However, it had to wait for a while until he could hear Eva and Carolina out. He could hardly wait.

The walk to Fernando Fábregas office and first class cabin had never felt so long before. Every step seemed to jolt his insides, seemed to tug at the bandage that Eva had gently placed around his torso. He had never been shot before and he certainly never intended to be in the future; it was far too painful. It was a relief to finally walk into the room even though the tension was palpable. The occupants' emotions seemed to range from shock and smugness to total disbelief.

Nicolás tried to keep his face neutral as he glanced at Eva who looked both defiant and cunning at the same time. He couldn't help but to wonder what was going on in that brilliant mind of hers. Carolina was another matter, she was nervous and avoided any eye contact as Fernando looked at her with disappointment. Varela had that smug grin on his face, looking like he'd caught the biggest fish in the ocean and the woman, Luisa, or Sofía, he didn't know what to call her, looked completely innocent, playing the victim perfectly, casting suspicions at Rojas. Nicolás sighed, this was going to be a long night.

"Captain," Varela said as he nodded at Nicolás and then cast gleeful look at the stowaway. "This is the woman who supposedly fell overboard."

"I see that you're not the least relieved that she's alive and well," Eva chastised angrily.

Varela huffed and smirked. "Since she's here someone else fell overboard. Right now it seems she's not only a stowaway, a passenger without ticket, but also a murderer," he deduced cunningly.

"That is ridiculous," Louisa said, looking very much offended by the accusation.

"Why don't we all calm down a bit," Fernando cautioned as he looked at the three ladies.

Eva sighed in frustration but said nothing. She was still mulling over the fact that her own sister had kept the truth about the woman from her. It wasn't like Carolina to do such a thing, they shared everything.

Fernando eyed Louisa suspiciously. "If it wasn't you who fell overboard then who was it?" he asked.

"I was in the ladies' room when that man came in to steal," she began. "He wasn't expecting to see me though. He got nervous and attacked me. I had to defend myself with a pair of scissors I found."

Varela raised an eyebrow but refrained from rolling his eyes at the reasonable yet halting story she was providing. He found himself wondering why a complete stranger would break into the Villanueva sisters' cabin and not take anything. He was even more curious about the fact that the petite woman had managed to overpower the intruder and get him up on deck to heave him overboard alone and without anyone else noticing until he plunged into the water.

The detective took a step forward. "And instead of reporting it you dressed the corpse in your clothes and threw it overboard?" he gave a low sarcastic chuckle. "All very logical."

Louisa was playing her role as an innocent victim beautifully as she shrugged and smoothly explained the whole thing away by claiming she didn't want to cause any more trouble for Eva and Carolina.

Nicolás had had enough of the whole thing. He was tired, injured and hurting and it was obvious to him that the woman before him was lying through her teeth. All he wanted now was to crawl back into bed and make the pain go away but unfortunately he had to keep up appearances. If there at least had been a chair nearby to sit on. He forced himself to focus on the conversation and fixed Louisa with a glare. "That man wasn't dead when he fell in the water," he deadpanned. "He was able to take the dress off."

She had the decency to look down and even look slightly regretful as she spoke up again. "I swear, I thought he was dead," she replied in a subdued voice.

"I am almost certain that man was the assistant of Doctor Rojas," Varela said seriously.

Nicolás frowned at that. Doctor Rojas had been chasing Louisa earlier, or more likely, he'd chased after the microfilm she was having in her possession. Now the detective suspected that it was the good doctor's assistant that had been murdered and thrown overboard. Louisa had claimed she'd found the film on the doctor's desk but perhaps that was a blatant lie as well? Maybe she was looking for the microfilm in Eva and Carolina's cabin when the man came in to look for the same thing?

Fernando whipped his head around in surprise at Varela's statement but then remained impassive as he looked down at the desk before him.

Varela looked smug as he continued his reasoning. "He disappeared the first night. Is that why the doctor started chasing you?" he asked.

Louisa tilted her head upwards, not giving away anything, as she answered him. "That's' something you need to ask the doctor. Only he knows why. All I know is that these ladies saved my life. I'd be dead if it weren't for them," she finished.

Nicolás lips curled slightly upwards at hearing her little speech. He looked from Louisa to Fernando, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets, his hands balled into fists. He didn't believe a word of what she was saying. "As well as the holes in her statement this woman is travelling without a ticket," he said seriously and turned his full attention on the woman sitting opposite Fernando. She looked as innocent as ever and continued her charade. "When we dock we'll hand her over to the authorities. In the meantime she'll remain in custody."

Before anyone had the chance to say anything Nicolás turned suspiciously to Eva and Carolina and just barely managed to flinch as the gunshot wound made itself known again. "Ladies, how long have you known this woman is alive?"

Carolina looked troubled while Eva was glaring at him. It was the older sister who spoke up. "Well, I –" she trailed off and looked at Eva for help.

"Carolina," Fernando pushed in disappointment at his wife soon to be.

"I," Carolina began again but Eva came to her rescue.

"We didn't know anything," she lied. "We just discovered everything too."

Nicolás nodded faintly. "Yeah," he whispered. He knew she was lying and he felt disappointment washing over him. Eva was seeking the truth herself so why was she behaving like this? Something was wrong, seriously wrong.

"Well then," Varela said. "There is no point in prolonging this."

Fernando shook his head slightly. "Get her into custody and make sure she stays there until we get to port," he said as his eyes were drawn to his wife to be with a suspicious look.

Nicolás breathed a sigh of relief and walked through the room to get to the door. "Sailor," he called seriously. "Make sure the Villanueva sisters get back to their cabin safely and bring the stowaway to the brig," he said.

"Yes, sir," the young man replied.

Eva hesitated as she passed him on the way out, it looked like she wanted to say something.

Nicolás waited hopefully for her to do so but instead she clammed up and walked out of the room. He sighed and shook his head sadly. He didn't understand why she'd suddenly turned her back on him. Trying not to ponder over it he turned to Fernando who was sitting behind his desk seemingly troubled and deep in thought. "Is there anything you need?" he asked kindly.

The ship's owner was brought out of his stupor and shook his head wearily. "No," he managed.

The first officer of the ship, temporarily its captain, made to leave the room.

"Nicolás," Fernando called after him, causing the other man to stop and turn around. I am sorry for what my brother-in-law tried to do. You should know that I am not defending him in any way. On the other hand I am not pleased with Santiago's episode of lunacy either."

"The captain has been through a tough period of his life," Nicolás said. "He misses his wife."

"He will lose more if he doesn't come to his senses," Fernando muttered sourly. "There is no excuse for what he did, sending the ship straight into a storm."

"He'll pull himself together again," Nicolás assured him softly as he reached up with his hand to place it over the wound, willing for the throbbing in his side to go away. "When he does I need for him to be back in charge."

Fernando studied him for a moment before his eyes involuntarily strayed to the hand that carefully pressed against the rather fresh gunshot wound. "I know he means very much to you, Nicolás. I don't think it comes as a surprise to you that he holds you very dear. He broke out of his temporary custody to try and get to your side earlier."

A faint yet sad smile crept upon Nicolás' still pale lips as he nodded. "Will you consider it?" he asked hopefully.

Fernando nodded. "I will but, please, go and have some well-deserved rest. You need to regain your strength."

Nicolás nodded and made to leave although he was adamant to make one more stop before he returned to his quarters.

OOOOOO

_To be continued _


	3. Do No Harm

**Chapter Three **

_Do No Harm_

Doctor Rojas looked up in surprise as the door to the small room opened to reveal the man he'd operated on not too long ago. Former First Officer, now Captain Vázquez looked pretty good all things considered, still a bit ashen and weary but very much alive.

"Doctor Rojas," he said simply but there was a hint of anger in his voice. "What's going on?"

The man looked defiant for a moment and then closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them again he seemed dejected and weary. "Not much," he finally answered.

Nicolás shook his head in disbelief. "It seems no one onboard this ship is without secrets," he muttered sadly as he backed up against the cold steel wall and leaned on it for support. "I don't understand – first you save a life and then you try to take another."

Rojas huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "No one would have missed her anyway. She was already dead," he drawled.

"Doctor," Nicolás cautioned. "I owe you my life so I'll pretend I never heard that."

"It's-" Rojas trailed off and reached up with his hand to rub his forehead. "No, just forget it. You wouldn't understand."

"Why don't you try me?" Nicolás asked kindly.

The doctor looked away, gazing out through the small porthole, his features drawn. He looked like he wanted to say something but his lips remained sealed.

Nicolás sighed in frustration and shook his head, cursing all the stubborn people that seemed to be all around him at the moment. So many secrets, so many lies flourished around the ship. A ship with 1650 passengers and 100 crewmen, servants and sailors whose life he was responsible for. That alone was making him stagger.

"Well then, Doctor Rojas," he said seriously and turned to the sailor standing behind him. "You'll escort the doctor to his cabin. He's not to leave his room unless there's an emergency. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" the sailor said.

Alvaro Rojas sighed in relief as he glanced around the naked steel walls. "Thank you," he whispered.

Nicolás gave him a curt nod before turning on his heels to leave. He set a brisk pace around the corner and entered a door marked 'authorized personal only'. He sighed as he leaned against the wall just inside the steel door and glanced up and down the round staircase that ran from deep within the bowels of the ship and up till the upmost level and the bridge. He was feeling terrible at the moment and he didn't have the energy to pull a smile and ask how the passengers where fairing while he made his way back to the crew's quarters.

OOOOOO

Pedro Villanueva sighed in frustration where he sat in his cabin, gazing out over the ocean and the rainy sky. It looked ominous outside yet the sun hinted behind the greyish clouds that seemed to fill the entire horizon. He cursed his brother for all the bad things he'd done, for all the people he'd sent to their deaths in order to gain a few extra money to save their company. Nothing was worth what he'd done – nothing.

It had been a bad idea from the beginning, to try and get rid of his brother but it had been desperate times and desperate times required drastic measures. When he'd entered his brother's office one day he'd accidentally spilled coffee onto the desk and it had seeped into the top-drawer of the heavy mahogany piece. Pedro so clearly remembered how he'd cursed his clumsiness and hastily reached for a cloth to wipe it off. He had moved on to the drawer and picked up Carlos' gun. It was no secret that his brother had a gun, what had surprised him was a vague note about a delivery in a town far across the border to Germany and a recite for hiring the company's trucks to go across the country.

It had taken some effort, some help from both his trusted Francisca and the family doctor and friend, Alvaro Rojas. At first Pedro didn't know what to believe but as more and more pieces of the puzzle came to his knowledge he began to see the whole picture; it was a picture that rocked him to the core, something so cold and sinister that he had to check at least three times to make sure he'd seen correctly. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that his own brother was capable of such cruelty and such desperate need for money that he was willing to sacrifice hundreds of others.

The worst thing was that Carlos had been smart enough to frame both him and Rojas should anything come to the attention of the authorities. The woman who'd presumably died while being thrown overboard sent a chill down his spine every time he saw her. Sofía had been Carlos' right hand when it came to the previously unknown journeys deep into Germany. Pedro was sure that she'd been much more to his brother than just a simple interpreter, he wouldn't be surprised if they had shared the same bed. He never said anything to his oldest daughter Carolina, he didn't want her to see her father the way he truly was, a man without conscience, a man with greed for money and power to no end. Sometimes he wondered if Marta, Eva and Carolina's mother, had known what he was capable of.

There were so many layers of a man and Pedro was no saint himself, but he wasn't going to prison for the murder of his brother, not if he could prevent it.

After today when having met the woman while she was being escorted to the brig he had no doubt she was involved in the blackmailing toward him and Rojas. She had even began to turn his nieces against him, feeding them lies that he couldn't really deny if he wanted to keep his brother's dirty secrets in the dark. Sofía knew that and used it to her advantage.

Pedro angrily thumped the cane against the wooden floor and tightened his grip on the handle in frustration. He had to talk to Rojas, they needed to get the woman off the boat before she destroyed everything. He desperately hoped it wasn't already too late and he hoped it wouldn't send the doctor over the edge, he'd already done a lot of stupid things.

OOOOOO

Eva's emotions were all over the place as she forcefully pushed the door open and walked out on the open deck, one level below the bridge. Her long dress swiveled around her as she made it to the railing and stared down at the frothing ocean that lapped against the hull. She remembered the first day, having come out a few levels below, chatting happily with her new acquaintance; the tall, dark and handsome first officer of the ship. She couldn't help but to smile at that as her hands steadily gripped the white railing. She remembered hearing the sound of woman screaming from high above her and then the body plunging into the water below.

It had started then, this crazy ride of ups and downs in her life. Actually it had started long before that, long before they even stepped onto the _Barbara de Braganza_ to make the journey to Brazil. It had been a trying time to let go of her father, a man she'd held dear, a man she'd respected and loved. His car had gone over the edge of a steep cliff. Even though his body had never been found but no one believed he'd be found alive after a fall like that. She'd asked their family doctor about her father's chances but he'd shaken his head and placed a hand on her shoulder, the look on his face had said it all. She'd lost the ability to write after that, she'd tried several times but her heart wasn't in it anymore and she'd run out of ideas.

Then Carolina and Fernando had gotten closer to each other for each day that passed and the ship that he'd wanted to buy was suddenly for sale and purchased. Carolina had been worried about her little sister as Eva turned down perfectly fine and good-looking gentlemen at every party she attended. However, every single one of them disappointed her in one way or another and finally she'd given up hope. Instead she chose to take care of matters at home while Carolina helped Fernando with the ship. She'd redecorated the house, seen to her uncle and the maids, set up business meetings and functioned as an aid to her older sister at times when she wasn't out trying to get someone to publish her earlier work as an author.

Eva pursed her lips into a thin line of displeasure as she turned around and made to go inside again. She halted mid-step as she passed the gangway leading up to the bridge, jovial memories washing all over her. A faint smile crept over her gloomy features as she walked up a few steps and sat down to look at the stars.

"_Do you always have to have the last word?"_ Nicolás had asked sweetly, his voice slightly teasing.

Something had sparked inside her. _"Well yes," _she'd replied sarcastically.

He'd shaken his head at her and she actually didn't know what had gotten into her but she responded by simply leaning into him to place a kiss on his lips – just like that.

My goodness she would forever remember the feeling of his soft lips, the smell of his cologne, the texture of his black uniform, his beautiful hazel eyes and his soft voice as he dismissed her apology.

She missed his company so much that it hurt. Eva glanced up at the top level and the bridge wing even though she knew he wasn't there and that he wouldn't come over to blow her mind away with yet another kiss. She sighed and rubbed her aching forehead. She was beginning to hate this journey, wishing she'd never set foot on the stupid ship.

OOOOOO

_To be continued _


	4. Killing Spree

**Chapter Four **

_Killing Spree_

Although he was feeling better physically his mood was plummeting. He was an officer, a sailor; not a detective nor a man with answers to all the unsolved questions. Too much had happened onboard already. First a stowaway had been killed, thrown overboard, only to be miraculously found onboard the ship a few days later - alive. Then the captain, his surrogate father and mentor, had gone over the edge and brought the ship around to sail straight into a storm. Eva seemed to be hiding something from him and then Aníbal had tried to kill the captain resulting in the captain shooting him instead. Now he was nursing a gunshot wound and the man who'd patched him up was arrested for trying to kill the stowaway while Varela suspected foul play when it came to Aníbal's recent demise.

Nicolás sighed. At least he now understood why Eva had backed off, why she had been so cold and dejected the last time he'd seen her. She'd found a picture of his wife while bringing him clothes in the infirmary and wrongly assumed he wanted to fool around with Eva, just for the fun of it. He wasn't anything like that, it sickened him that she could even believe such a thing. Then again, what was she to believe? Considering how strong and full of opinions she was he figured he was lucky that she hadn't thrown anything at him. Maybe it was no wonder she didn't trust him at the moment. He didn't know how to fix that. Nicolás exhaled deeply as he stood leaning against the railing and stared across the calm ocean, the same ocean that had tried to claim the ship and everyone onboard only two days ago.

He straightened and turned to leave, he was probably needed on the bridge. He hoped it would take his mind off of the beautiful Eva Villanueva for a while. He stopped and turned around to look at the ocean once again, mesmerized by its beauty, as a very familiar voice called his name.

"Nicolás, I know who killed Manuel," she said regretfully.

He looked at Eva Villanueva in surprise for a moment. He couldn't help but to wonder how she had figured it out. Then again he knew she was smart and, God help him, very beautiful.

"There is something else you need to know," she added seriously. "I'm sorry for not telling you earlier but the evidence were circumstantial and sketchy at best. I guess I didn't want to believe,-"

"To believe what, Eva?" he asked confused.

She hesitated, it didn't suit her. She was normally very straight forward. "I,- We've just found out that Uncle Pedro and Doctor Rojas used the company's trucks to ferry innocent people to concentration camps."

Nicolás swallowed, Chantal instantly on his mind. He forced it away, forced the memories of her away. "That's a serious allegation, Eva. Are you sure?" he managed.

She nodded. "Yes. Somehow this is connected to Luisa and our father, perhaps even her uncle Mario Plazaola. But I don't understand – why did he kill Manuel?"

Nicolás frowned. "Plazaola?" he asked.

"Yes," she said.

He nodded and turned to leave. "I'll see to it that he's detained," he assured her.

"I'm coming with you," she said quickly as she started after him.

Nicolás turned around and gently placed his hands on her arms to stop her. "Eva, it's dangerous. We don't know what he'll do. We know what he's capable of. I don't want to see you hurt," he said softly.

She reluctantly nodded and stopped pushing against his restraining hands.

He smiled at her. "I'll be back soon," he said kindly.

"Nicolás," she called after him. "Please, I don't want to see you hurt either."

OOOOOO

Santiago Aguirre ran a hand through his stubble and sighed. Everything was turning into a nightmare. Seeing the way the man he'd come to call his son looked at the daughter of his friend made his heart swell. He knew that the love Nicolás had for Eva Villanueva was reciprocated. While he was happy for Nicolás' sake they reminded him of a younger version of himself and his beautiful wife. It still hurt to even think about her demise, she'd meant the world to him, still did. He was old and worn now but Nicolás was young and had most of his life ahead of him, he deserved to be happy again after Chantal had tragically disappeared. Nicolás had taken leave to search for her everywhere he could think of. He contacted friends and family but to no avail, she was nowhere to be found. When Chantal's own mother had written a letter to him a little over a year ago to tell them they'd made the decision to let their daughter rest in peace Nicolás had been inconsolable.

The captain sighed, he was feeling every year of his age as he reached up to gently rub his forehead. He had promised not to reveal Carlos Villanueva's presence on the journey to his two children but with everything that had been going on lately he wasn't so sure he could fulfill that bargain. Eva Villanueva had been rescued from a burning cabin not too long ago, she could have died from the ordeal and he knew someone was blackmailing Pedro Villanueva. He briefly wondered if it had been such a good idea to have Nicolás employ the man as a coal shuffler in the engine room after all.

Carlos had claimed he needed a favor and that Santiago owed him that. He'd also told him that he wanted to be able to see his oldest daughter get married even though he couldn't give her away himself. He wanted to start anew somewhere else in the world and Brazil seemed as good as any place and Sofía's contacts there would get them through customs without trouble, he would be free to live again. Torn between helping Carlos one last time and keep the secret about the true identity of the man to both Nicolás and the Villanueva sisters Santiago walked out of his cabin to find the man.

The captain didn't get very far though before he ran into Detective Varela who looked his usual smug self and tipped his hat slightly. "Hello, captain, it seems the murderer of the boy is going to pay for his deeds anyway," he said.

Santiago frowned in confusion.

"I have to say that your first officer and the Villanueva sisters make a formidable team when it comes to finding clues and solving mysteries on this ship. It turns out the most likely suspect is Mario Plazaola, the uncle to the stowaway."

The captain managed to hide his worries and gave the detective a tight smile. "Good. I do hope you find him though, the ship is large and there are many secret rooms to hide in."

"Don't worry, he'll come out eventually," Varela assured him.

The captain watched the detective leave and set a brisk pace to a service ladder and disappeared into the bowels of the ship, hoping he wasn't too late.

OOOOOO

Several decks below Carlos Villanueva clasped his hands together and smiled. For every day that passed he came closer to his new life. What a life that would be. He would be rich given the gold that Santiago unknowingly transferred across the ocean for him. The only thing he needed to do know was to trick his brother into revealing where the gold bars where stored. They had been the payment he'd received for bringing all the people to their designated destinations, he was sure that Pedro intended to make a good life for himself in Brazil with his gold but he would do his best to prevent it. If only he could get back that microfilm that he'd hidden in Eva's typewriter as well. It contained images and files that could give him away if someone was smart enough to connect all the dots and work together with his brother and Doctor Rojas.

There was a rapid knock on the steel door to the storage compartment in which he was currently hiding. He carefully opened it to find the captain outside.

"Santiago?" he said in surprise. "Is something the matter?"

"They're after you. Varela and his goons will soon be here with a fine toothbrush to go through every inch of this section. You need to hide somewhere else."

"Why?" he asked curiously. "I haven't done anything?"

Santiago narrowed his eyes at him. "Haven't you?" he asked doubtfully. "I really hope, for your sake, that is the truth. Go now."

"I need to find Sofía," he protested.

"She's in the brig," the captain replied. "I have a key. You go and grab her and stay hidden until we dock."

"Thank you," the man said.

"This is the last favor I'm going to do for you, Carlos," Santiago cautioned seriously as he turned to leave.

OOOOOO

In Francisca's third class cabin Pedro Villanueva had to force himself to stop pacing as the suitcase filled to the brink with glimmering gold lay open on the small bed. This was going to be his chance to start anew in another country with the help of his brother's gold that he'd acquired during his shady business arrangements.

Pedro reasoned that if he had the gold in his possession it would at least not be used for bad purposes. He knew it was blood money in the case but he couldn't undo what his brother had already done and he couldn't turn it in somewhere without arousing suspicion so the best thing to do was just to spend the gold bars the way he saw fit.

Unfortunately Sofía was making his life miserable at the moment. He didn't know how she'd managed to find him, didn't know how much she really knew or what Carlos had said to her before making his last journey. However, someone was blackmailing him about a microfilm and the logical conclusion was that she was the one doing it. He had tried to find it but to no avail so the only thing that remained at the moment was to take care of his own business and jump the ship as soon as they docked and lose the woman in the process. There was no stopping him when he'd gotten this far. If anyone was going to take the gold from him it would be over his dead body.

OOOOOO

Eva waited anxiously up on deck for Nicolás to come back and cursed herself for feeling the way she did. She'd been on her way down to the engine room to see if she could help in some way several times now before she'd either been hindered by a sailor or thought better of it.

She sighed, maybe she should give it one more try? She was a woman of action after all. As she turned away from the breeze that tousled her hair gently and let go of the shiny white railing she halted mid-step as Nicolás and two sailors stepped out in the open.

"Nicolás!" she called as she made her way over to him.

The serious look on his face was instantly replaced by a soft smile as he saw her. "Eva," he acknowledged.

"Where is he," she demanded. "Didn't you find him?"

He shook his head in amusement at the straightforwardness. "I am on my way to place your uncle in custody and talk to Doctor Rojas. I've left the search in Detective Varela's hands," he explained.

"I am coming too," she decided.

"I'll see you later," Nicolás answered softly yet his tone of voice left no room for argument as he began to walk away. "When I do we're going to talk about that microfilm."

Eva pursed her lips into a thin line of displeasure for a moment and then suddenly broke into a mischievous smile. Despite everything, despite all the secrets in her family and Nicolás' marriage she couldn't help but to feel hope for the future. Maybe somehow it could be the two of them anyway.

OOOOOO

_The End_


End file.
